The invention relates to a device for covering the sides of the spacing between two interconnected vehicles, in particular, railway vehicles (rail cars).
Typically, in the case of vehicles that are connected to each other in an articulated way, the individual vehicles are connected to each other by a transition with a bellows.
In this context, German Patent DE 196 21 913 C1 shows a folding or corrugated bellows as part of a transition between two vehicle parts, wherein the bellows has a middle frame. The middle frame has guides for power-supply lines that run between the two vehicle parts.
From French patent application publication FR 2 613 306 A1, a peripheral transition device with a rectangular cross section between two vehicle parts is known, wherein the transition device comprises two frames, with each frame being connected with its one side by a bellows element to the end side of the vehicle part and having, on its other side, a rubber bead that contacts the rubber bead of the adjacent frame.
European patent application publication EP 1 810 852 A1 shows a bellows between two vehicles connected to each other in an articulated way, wherein the bellows has a removable bellows floor.
German Patent DE 595 382 C likewise shows a folding bellows between two vehicles.
Especially for railway vehicles, however, there are also vehicles that are indeed coupled with each other but that do not provide a transition between the interconnected vehicles. Such a transition typically consists of a transition bridge that is located above the vehicle coupling, as well as a folding or corrugated bellows spanning the transition bridge. Between such vehicles that are only coupled with each other, there is consequently a spacing that allows passage only in theory. It has been shown that, in particular, persons with strong vision defects view such an opening between two connected vehicles as an opened door and walk into the spacing. This often leads to injury, which is why an attempt is made here to create a remedy.